The Danger of Uncontrolled Field Studies
by SpicyChestnut
Summary: Link knew he should have refused her. It was a FROG for Gods sake! But she'd given him THOSE eyes, so he'd taken a chance and given the thing a lick… and look where that had gotten him. It would take a miracle to make it through the day with his dignity in tact. Tag to Memory #9 (the silent princess and hot footed frog). BoTW ZeLink. Details inside.
1. Chapter 1: Experimentation

**THE DANGER OF UNCONTROLLED FIELD STUDIES**  
 **Chapter 1: Experimentation**

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 **Summary:** Link knew he should have refused her. It was a _frog_ for the Gods sake. But she'd given him THOSE eyes, so he'd taken a chance and given the thing a lick… and look where that had gotten him. It would take a miracle to make it through the day with his dignity in tact. Tag to Memory #9 (the silent princess and hot-footed frog).

 **Genres:** Romance, humor, slight hurt/comfort

 **Setting:** Breath of the Wild ZeLink

 **A/N:** So here's that other lemon fic I promised a few weeks ago. It's very different than _The Virtues of Wisdom, Courage, Power, and Faith_. For one it's a lot more humorous, something I'm trying to work more on. For another, it's written from mostly Link's perspective. As a result it was significantly more challenging, seeing as I am not, in fact, a male. They say the best writers are able to write from any gendered perspective, so let me know what you think! Did I at all come close?

Also worth noting, **this is the censored version of this story**. There are about 2,000 words worth of explicit sexy business cut out of here—the original version has 6 chapters instead of 5—and if you're interested in checking it out (which I, of course, highly recommend), then **pop on over to my Tumblr - I'm SpicyChestnut123**. This will probably be the last thing I post until I resume publication of my main story _Love in a Time of Calamity_ (It was mostly done, and I was eager to complete it), so do enjoy!

 _Edit 3/13/18 9:24pm:_ It's up on Tumblr for realsies now, haha. Check out the "Short Fics" page. *thumbs up*

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"There's one!"

She leaned forward, Sheikah slate in hand as she snapped a shot of a small yellow flower.

"Oh! And another!"

She twisted to the side, snapping two shots of a cluster of purple flowers that, to him, looked an awful lot like the yellow one.

"The flowers we have in Hyrule aren't just beautiful… They're also useful as ingredients for a variety of things."

She continued to twist and turn, photographing a group of tiny white daisies, then a patch of puffy white flowers that looked suspiciously like weeds. She stilled for a moment, eyes scrunching and smile widening as she considered her photographs on the slate.

He stopped to consider her. He loved her like this—carefree, happy, passionately engaged in her studies. So much of the time she was weighed down by her responsibilities—he felt as though her joyful, radiant smile was nothing more than a faraway dream.

It had only been recently he'd been treated to the pleasure of her smile. For months she had been cold and distant, ignoring him when she could and treating him with thinly-veiled disdain when she was forced to interact. She had even gone so far as to yell at him once. For the normally kind and polite Princess to go so far, he'd thought, truly, she must despise him.

And then one day, everything changed. They were traveling through the Gerudo Canyon Pass on their way to Gerudo Town, and had spent the night in the Gerudo Canyon Stable. He woke early in the stable the next morning only to find himself alone, her and her bags gone without a trace. He'd panicked, taking off in the only direction she could have possibly gone—towards the Kara Kara Bazaar; and thank the Goddess he'd found her when he had.

She was surrounded by Yiga who were slowly closing in on where she'd fallen to the ground. He'd acted on instinct, running at full-pelt up the rocky outcropping she was being coralled against and jumped off, beheading the one whose blade was on a downward swing towards her neck before landing in front of her, brandishing his sword.

Things slowly improved between them after that. Once they'd returned to the castle after their trip to Gerudo Town she pulled him aside and apologized for her behavior, expressing a desire to be friendly—to get to know one another. He'd been both relieved and thrilled by her words: relieved, because it made his job as her guardian all that much easier, and thrilled because, like many of the young men whom she graced with her company, he'd quickly become ensnared by her beauty.

It was hard not to. She was stunning, all tight, lithe curves and soft, golden tresses. In the right light, her green eyes sparkled like luminous stone, and she moved with grace befitting of a Goddess. And her smile… it was as radiant as the sun. He lived for her smile.

Despite her icy attitude at the start of his appointment, he'd been attracted to her even then—though it had been only skin-deep. However, since Kara Kara Bazaar—since getting to know her, his attraction had grown to somewhat alarming heights. She wasn't just beautiful, she was smart, and sweet, and thoughtful, and brave. She was passionate about learning, and threw her whole self into every research project. It had only been a few months since the incident with the Yiga, but he already felt himself falling hard for her.

And that was a problem. As her knight, he needed to stay vigilant—he couldn't afford to get distracted by her beaming smile or the way her eyes sparkled in the sunlight. As the Hylian champion and wielder of the sword that seals the darkness, he needed to stay focused on his training.

Were the situation different—were she just some noble girl he'd been hired to guard, he simply would have either given in or quit his post and moved on; but that was not the type of situation he was in.

Giving in was an explicit no-no: she was the Princess of Hyrule and High Priestess of Hylia—she was off-limits. Quiting his post was also an explicit no-no: they were bound together by destiny to protect the Kingdom, and none other than him could wield the Master Sword. And there would be no getting space from her to clear his head, or vacation time to pursue… other interests; he was bound to her constant company by his appointment as her knight.

In the end, no matter how much he might want such a thing, there was no possibility of a romantic relationship developing between them. Princesses did not cavort with knights, not even those chosen by destiny.

Suddenly she gasped, lowering the Sheikah slate as she fell to all fours and crawled slowly across the grass. Shaking loose his troubling thoughts, Link followed suit, curious as to what had caught her gaze this time and trying hard to be a gentleman and not stare at her backside as she shuffled forward. She stopped before a flower that towered over the rest. Long stamens stretched out from its center surrounded by five broad petals extending outward, sky blue near the center and fading to white along its edges.

"This one here is called the silent princess. It's a rare, endangered species." She turned to him as he crawled nearer. "Despite our efforts, we can't get them to grow domestically yet."

She turned back to the flower, reaching out a hand as a somber look flitted across her delicate features. "The silent princess can only thrive out here, in the wild." She gazed at it a moment before leaning back on her heels, pulling her outstretched hand against her heart. Her eyes seemed conflicted. "All that we can hope… is that the species will be strong enough to prosper, on its own."

He stopped barely a foot behind her, sitting on his knees as he contemplated whether or not to say something. He knew she cared deeply for such things, and seemed almost… upset by the flower's struggle for survival; there seemed something more at play, but he didn't know what. However, before he could think too deeply on the matter, she lurched forwards past the flower, her voice regaining its prior excitement.

"Is this what I think it is?! Look at this!"

Reaching forwards, she captured something on the ground between her fingers, turning swiftly towards him with her hands held before her. Excitement gleamed in her eyes as she shuffled forward quickly on her knees. He stifled a fond chuckle at the ridiculous motion.

"I don't believe it, but I actually caught one!"

Her eyes were bright and she practically bobbed up and down with excitement. Link found he couldn't completely suppress his smile.

"This delicacy is known to have very, very potent effects under the proper circumstances." Opening her hands and extending them towards him, she grinned. "Ta-da!" Looking down, she held a green frog with orange feet in her cupped hands. She scooted closer, in full researcher mode as spoke quickly and with fervor. He could practically hear the gears turning in her head.

"Research from the castle shows ingesting one of these can actually augment certain abilities. We wouldn't be in a controlled environment out here, but with your level of physical fitness you'd be a perfect candidate for the study!"

Link blinked. Did she… what? As his brain struggled to process all she had just said, she continued to eye him excitedly, almost expectantly. Suddenly she shoved the frog in front of his face, and he leaned back instinctively to avoid it, gasping out in alarm.

"Go on! Taste it!"

She scooted forward eagerly, oblivious to his aversion to the creature, and shoved it in front of his face once more. He fell back on his hands as she stared at him expectantly, the frog merely observing him with large, round, disinterested eyes. She couldn't possibly… what did she expect him to do, swallow it whole?!

When she showed no signs of backing down, Link cleared his throat as calmly as possible, taking another small scoot back. "Um, Princess, I'm not sure that's a very good idea…" He could feel heat rising to his cheeks as she continued to bore into him with her wide, hopeful eyes.

"I'm quite sure it's perfectly safe. Please, Link, these are very fast little creatures, and I've never been able to catch one before! Think of what we could learn!"

Link glanced between the frog's bored gaze and her large, excitable eyes, feeling his resistance waning. "Well… what exactly is it supposed to… augment?" At his reluctant engagement in the subject, she scooted closer, the excited bobbing beginning once again.

"There haven't been many studies done as most of our resources have gone towards guardian research, but what research exists suggests the oily secretions on its skin may enhance physiological traits such as stamina, cardiovascular capacity, and strength—a variety of things, really! But there have never been any human trials…" Once more, she extended the frog towards him, adding, "Until today!"

Her turquoise irises brimmed with excitement and she practically quivered with the thrill of latent discovery. Gazing warily into her eyes, Link felt the last of his resistance dissipate. It seemed… harmless enough. With a sigh, he leaned forward. "So… what am I supposed to do? Cook it and eat it?" At his inquiry she vigorously shook her head, "No, no, I wouldn't want you to overdo it. Just a lick should do."

Link quirked a skeptical eyebrow at her, but reached forward to cup her hands in his and lean in nonetheless. Closing his eyes, he attempted to suppress his grimace as he pulled her hands towards his mouth and stuck out his tongue, allowing it to slide across the frog's slimy back. Quickly releasing her hands and pulling back, his face scrunched up in disgust as the frog's stale, slimy, odors filled his mouth. Forcing his mouth to remain shut, he plugged his nose and attempted to swallow several times to get the taste out of his mouth. Zelda laughed, turning and releasing the frog back to the plain and making to stand. She extended her hand and he took it, rising up beside her. She grinned.

"While we're here, I'd like a chance to observe the frog's natural habitat. There's a small marsh down the hill I believe this little guy calls home—perhaps we can learn about what gives it its unique properties!" Link nodded, following behind her as she headed determinedly north down the slope of the hill.

 **-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Fifteen minutes later, after sharing a quick snack of fresh, crispy apples from a nearby apple tree, the two of them waded into the marshy pond the frogs called home. Zelda delicately licked the last of the juice from her fingers as she turned over her shoulder to glance at him.

"So do you feel anything, yet?"

Rinsing her fingers in the water, she wiped her hands on her pants before unhooking the Sheikah slate and snapping photos of the plant life growing within the pond. So far he didn't feel any different, and thankfully the sour taste of the mystery frog had been successfully washed down with the sweet tangy flavor of apple.

"Not yet."

Zelda straightened, taking one last lingering glance at the Sheikah slate as she examined her latest photograph before hooking it into her belt. Turning, she eyed him with vexation, her lips forming a small pout. Link felt a small flutter in his chest and tried very hard not to stare at her mouth. He was such a sucker for her pout.

"Well, I suppose that means the substance must have a slower onset," she mused, clearly dissatisfied at her lack of results, "I wonder if in turn it has a longer-lasting effect?" She stared thoughtfully at him, and he felt distinctly like a specimen under a microscope. Unsure of how to respond, he shrugged.

Her gaze did not turn from him as he expected, however, instead becoming increasingly curious as she slowly approached, water sloshing at her movements. She circled him like some strange research-predator, her eyes roving up and down his figure critically. Though he forced himself still, he felt his body heat under her pointed gaze. She stopped in front of him, hands resting on her hips as she eyed him with thoughtful appraisal.

"Well, I don't see any external changes. Admittedly I thought its effects would begin to show by now, but perhaps I'm being too hasty." She took a tentative step forward. "Would you mind if I examined your mouth? I'm curious if direct contact with the more sensitive lingual tissue has had any noticeable surface effect."

The heat which had manifested earlier under her scrutinizing gaze flared to life at her words. Lingual tissue… unbidden the image of her tongue darting out between her teeth flashed through his mind, causing something to stir within him. Blinking several times, he forced the mental image away, trying his best to ignore the heat just under his skin.

He nodded his assent, not trusting his voice, and she moved to stand directly in front of him. He opened his mouth wide and stuck out his tongue, feeling distinctly awkward as she gently gripped his chin and tilted his head this way and that, humming to herself.

Though he'd been relatively unperturbed by her nearness earlier in the day, he became suddenly acutely aware of just how close she was, and the warmth of her hand where it gripped his face. Closing his eyes, he could almost bodily feel her presence barely a foot in front of him. The sensation left his body tingling and he his lungs almost breathless, and without thinking his hand reached up to wrap around her wrist. Her skin felt warm and soft beneath his fingers, and he could feel her pulse just beneath his thumb, spiking at his touch. It sent a thrill through him, and the desire to pull her wrist to his lips momentarily overwhelmed him.

"Link?"

Her concerned voice sounded through the fog of his mind, and his eyes suddenly snapped open and he released her hand, taking a startled step back. Worried eyes gazed at him, and she reached out a hand for him.

"Link, are you—"

As he took another step back, he felt his food slide on an algae-covered rock and went tumbling backwards, reaching forward blindly for purchase. His grasping hand found hers and before he realized what had happened she was tumbling forward after him. He landed with a splash in the water, head submerging briefly as she landed on top of him with a startled cry.

He sat quickly upright, gasping for air as she rolled off of him and into the water at his sudden movement. He raised a hand to his forehead, gazing wide-eyed into the waters surface and breathing deeply. The sensation was fading—the shock of the water had helped—but it had unnerved him. Her presence had never had such an effect on him before, and he felt almost blindsided by it; he was usually pretty good about keeping his attraction to her, and his overeager arousal, at bay. Where had this come from?

The Princess rose to her knees, wiping water from her face as she stared at him with confusion and concern, wading a bit closer as she looked him over. "Link, are you okay? What happened?"

He didn't look at her—wasn't sure he should. Dumbly, he nodded his head, running his fingers through his hair. "I… think I'm okay. Just a bit… dizzy, for a moment."

She stood, turning her head to wring the water out of her hair before extending a hand to him once more. This time, however, he did not accept it, pushing up on his own hands and standing beside her. He chanced a brief glance at her—like him she was soaked head to toe, her white blouse now faintly transparent, with rivulets of water dripping down her cheeks and hanging from her eyelashes. She looked at him with worry, her brows faintly creased and a small purse to her lips. He felt a stirring low in his gut and turned from her abruptly, walking towards their horses with purposeful strides. Goddesses, what had gotten in to him?

He called over his shoulder without turning around, making for their horses stationed along the bank.

"The Royal Lab is nearby, let's head over to dry off. I'm sure there's a spare change of clothes or some towels there somewhere, so you can—" he stopped himself. He'd been about to say 'get out of your wet clothes', but the image it had conjured in his mind sent a flush through him. He quickly changed tact. "…warm up before nightfall."

She didn't answer, but he heard the water slosh as she followed after him. Goddesses help him if he didn't get this under control by the time they arrived.

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	2. Chapter 2: Onset

**THE DANGER OF UNCONTROLLED FIELD STUDIES**  
 **Chapter 2: Onset**

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The sun was nearing the horizon as, fifteen minutes later with their horses securely stabled outside the royal ancient tech lab, they rooted through the various rooms for something the two of them could dry off with or change in to. The lab was blessedly empty; most of the researchers had relocated to the castle since the recent discovery of the guardians beneath it. Purah, the director of the lab, had set up a temporary research base in the lower levels of the castle some weeks ago as she and her team oversaw excavation.

At his suggestion they had split up to search the large building. His… 'condition' had improved little over the course of their silent ride south to the lab. In fact, he suspected it may have gotten worse. His flesh felt hypersensitive, and the jostling of his saddle—something that had never bothered him before, caused his groin to ache with a sort of painful pleasure. It had taken a good deal of effort to refrain from groaning during the ride.

To make matters worse he'd begun to feel unnaturally hot, almost feverish; yet it didn't necessarily feel uncomfortable—rather, it was an almost pleasurable heat, the kind he felt rush through his veins late at night in his quarters as he imagined the Princess's hands on him instead of his own, on the cusp of release. Though the sun was still out, the evening chill was beginning to set in, and Link found himself grateful for the cool air against his soggy clothes.

Zelda had left for the other side of the building, to search through Purah's study, and Link found himself breathing deeply for the first time since their fall in the pond. Since the incident, he'd been having an increasingly difficult time focusing when she was near him. When she tried to engage him in conversation during their ride he'd found his eyes continually drifting down to her mouth, attention hyper-focused on her lips each time her tongue darted out to wet them. After having to repeat herself several times, she finally gave up—it becoming clear his mind was elsewhere.

Approaching the nearest desk with careful strides—he was still oversensitive from the ride—he began pulling drawers open at random, finding mostly papers, pens, notebooks, and the occasional bit or bob of Sheikah technology. Sighing, he closed them all, turning for a nearby cabinet.

Pulling open the wooden doors, he breathed a sigh of relief; it looked to be a linen closet. Clean but oil-stained rags were shoved haphazardly in the middle row of shelves, and towels of various shapes and sizes filled the lower ones, some neatly folded and others tossed in carelessly. Reaching down to pull out two larger towels, his eyes caught sight of a pile of clothing hastily folded and placed on a narrow shelf above them. Pulling them out, he found they were the traditional garb of Sheikah researchers. He smiled. These would do nicely. He pulled out both the towels and clothes, grabbing every article of clothing on the shelf to sort through, and headed for an empty nearby table.

He stacked the towels in a pile, then spread the clothes on the table before him. There were several of the white coats in various sizes and a pair of men's trousers. There was one pair of gloves—neither of them would need those, though—a few waist sashes, and one purple tunic. Lifting up by the garment by the shoulders, Link eyed it up and down, then swallowed hard. It was a woman's tunic dress, just Zelda's size, and it was… short; very short. He imagined it was meant to be worn with leggings in the style he'd seen many young Sheikah women wear, but there were no leggings to be had in the pile of clothing.

"Link, have you found any—oh!"

At the sudden sound of her voice, he whipped around, startled, holding the garment to him almost guiltily. She stood in the doorway with a curious expression, and as his eyes connected with her figure, he found himself suddenly seeing double. Blinking, his vision quickly cleared, except now she was no longer wearing her wet riding clothes. Now she stood in the doorway wearing nothing but the short purple tunic dress, her hip cocked and offering come-hither eyes. Her smile was sultry and her hair mussed, cascading over her bare shoulders. The dress clung tightly to her body, the bottom hem ending just inches below the tuck of her butt. It left nothing to the imagination. He felt the air leave his lungs, and his lower half throbbed with renewed blood flow.

"Link?"

He blinked and the image suddenly dissolved, and she was standing in the doorway still dressed in her wet riding clothes. He blinked several more times, feeling his heart galloping in his chest as the imagined image clung to his mind's eye, despite his attempts to clear it from his head. At his lack of response her expression morphed from one of curiosity to one of concern, and she walked towards him.

"Link, are you sure you're alright? You look a bit flushed."

As she neared, he found himself rooted to the spot, eyes wide as he tracked her movements. He could almost see her in it, sauntering towards him with that sultry smile rather than the concerned frown she now wore, each steps causing the dress to hike up just a pinch. He gulped audibly, forcibly shutting his eyes in an attempt to rid himself of the image. It didn't work—he could only see her more clearly against the back of his eyelids.

Her hand came to rest upon his forehead and his heart stuttered in his chest, her touch burning against his skin. His eyes flew open to find her standing before him, worry etched clearly across her features. She bit her lip—oh goddess, he wanted to bite that lip—before flipping her hand around and pressing it to his forehead once more.

"Link, you're burning up! Why didn't you say something?"

She stepped back, eying him with a frown. Seeming to have made her mind up about something, she took the tunic dress from his hands, glancing quickly towards the table then back to him before making for the pile of clothes.

"I'm glad you found something for us to change into." She rifled through the pile, extracting a white coat and draping it over her arm on top of the tunic dress along with one of the purple sashes. She then frowned, pushing aside the clothes as though looking for something, before seeming to give up. Snatching up the men's trousers, another white coat, and another purple sash, she turned and held them out for him to take.

"I'm going to the washroom to change, and you should too. If you're developing a fever, wet clothes will only make it worse." Dumbly he reached up to take the proffered items, taking care to avoid touching her hands. She bit her lip again, and he found himself unable to avoid staring at her mouth, feeling his body flush as she worried at the soft, pink skin.

"When I get back, I want to take a look at you. I think you may be having an adverse reaction to the frog's secretions." Seeing her lips move, he raised his eyes to hers, though her words only half-registered. She looked extremely worried, and a part of him wanted to reassure her that everything was okay and he was fine; but he wasn't really sure he was—and wasn't sure he trusted himself to speak, anyway. Instead, he nodded.

She gave him one last lingering glance before saying softly, "I'll be right back." She then turned, heading out the door and quickly disappeared around the corner.

Link slumped against the table, panting weakly as the pile of clothing fell from his hands and hit the floor. Goddesses, what was _wrong_ with him? He'd had plenty of urges and fantasies and daydreams before—he was a seventeen year old male—but never in his life had they felt so… consuming. He'd worked pretty damn hard over the years to learn to control and mask those urges, especially around the Princess, and he liked to think he'd achieved at least a modicum of mastery. So why was he suddenly acting like a twelve year old who'd just discovered masturbation?

His eyes widened in sudden understanding. The frog. This had to be the frog. Zelda said she thought he was having an adverse reaction; whatever this was, that had to be it—it was the only explanation. He almost snorted. _'Very potent effects'_ , she'd said… You could say that again.

However, figuring out the cause did not, unfortunately, give him any answers as to how to relieve himself of the problem. He couldn't exactly tell her about it. What would he say? _'Whatever was in that frog is making me want to jump you. Be sure to add that to your research notes.'_ No… absolutely not—there was no way she could know about this. As it was she seemed to think he was sick… maybe he could use that to his advantage, somehow.

Now that Zelda was out of the room, he felt some—though far from all—of his tension ease. Taking a deep breath, he forced his ragged breathing to steady, pushing away from the table once he felt a little calmer. Stooping carefully, he picked up the Sheikah clothing and carried them to the corner of the room, away from the door.

Stopping beside an arm chair, he began to slowly peel off his wet clothing. His arm guard came off easily, hitting the floor with a soft thunk, as did his harnesses, belt, and tunic. However once he reached his pants, he found himself struggling with the wet, clingy fabric. His burgeoning erection was difficult to maneuver around, and each time his hand or the fabric rubbed against it he felt an overwhelming pleasure pulse through him. Slowly and with difficulty he managed to remove the garment, his underwear following quickly after and landing on the floor with a wet _schlop._

Reaching for the Sheikah trousers he quickly pulled them on, the tight fabric rubbing against him enticingly until he managed to pull them all the way up, tugging on the ties to secure them about his hips. He then stared down at himself, and frowned. The pants were much more form-fitting than his tan trousers, and a large bulge was clearly visible, sloping off to the side towards his hip bone.

His champion's tunic was long, ending mid-thigh. Aside from being extremely distracted by it, he hadn't given his arousal much thought, as any evidence of it had been well hidden. But the Sheikah jacket was short, and there had been no shirt he could wear with it. It would be impossible to hide, and it certainly didn't seem to want to go away.

Time was running out before Zelda would be back, and his options were extremely limited. He could put his tunic back on, but then he'd have to explain why he was wearing a wet shirt when he could be wearing a perfectly fine dry one instead. He could wrap the sash about his hips instead of his waist, but again—Zelda would ask why. Could he cover it up with a towel or something? A blanket? Quickly he grabbed the white jacket, opting to leave the sleeve ties undone for the sake of expediency, and threw it on. Perhaps there was something he'd overlooked on the shelves?

Hurrying back to the cabinet, he flung the doors open and began rifling through its contents. Rags… more towels… more jackets… aha! He reached for the rear of the shelf, pulling forth a pile of blankets. There were two wool blankets, and a woven cotton throw blanket. He grabbed all three and made for the table, leaving the spare wool blanket and cotton throw on its surface. Unfolding the blanket he'd grabbed for himself, he tossed it about his shoulders as casually as he could. When he was a kid, the local gossips often wrapped themselves in a blanket when heading to the market on cold days. It wasn't so odd… was it? He hoped Zelda bought it.

Finding himself with time to spare, he tried to relax and ignore the rubbing of the tight Sheikah fabric against him. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he forced himself to clear his mind and focus on mundane, un-sexual things.

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	3. Chapter 3: Realization

**THE DANGER OF UNCONTROLLED FIELD STUDIES**  
 **Chapter 3: Realization**

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Zelda leaned heavily against the counter in the wash room, staring into her reflection in the mirror above the basin. She was a bit pink in the face, her long blond locks still damp and scraggly from their fall in the pond, and her pupils were oddly large. Admittedly, she did not look great.

Not long after their arrival at the lab she had begun to feel a little strange. Her skin felt unusually sensitive, like it sometimes did after she scrubbed too hard in the bath after a particularly dirty field survey. Except this felt more… pleasant. Pleasurable, almost. She had been ready to dismiss it as simply a consequence of being stuck in wet, clinging clothing; that was, until she'd gone to find Link.

She hadn't had any luck in her search of Purah's study, so she'd headed back to the research office where she and Link had parted. When he'd turned to her, the look in his eyes had knocked the wind from her lungs. He'd looked… hungry, almost animalistic—and his hunger had been clearly directed towards her. She'd felt her whole body flush in response as his gaze swept up and down her body, and for a moment she'd been too stunned to react. When he continued to simply stare at her with that piercing gaze, she somehow managed to breathlessly call his name, and he'd blinked at her; and then the look was… gone, and he simply eyed her with confusion.

The warmth in her lingered even now; yet she felt she must surely have imagined the look in his eyes—Link had never looked at her like that before; it was utterly unlike him.

It had been easy to push away the feelings that had arisen in her when, not moments after, his face began to flush with the telltale signs of a fever. She'd hurriedly gone to him and easily confirmed her findings. She'd noted his slightly unusual behavior on their ride to the lab, and at first she'd thought it was simply the discomfort of being in soggy clothing distracting his attention; but his strange behavior had only increased since, and she'd begun to worry the cause was… well, her fault.

It had to be the frog. The time that had elapsed since he'd licked it was within the range of time for onset, according to the studies she'd read. Documentation listed enhancements to stamina, strength, cardiovascular capacity, and blood flow… Yet instead of exhibiting any of the described effects, link seemed to be suffering a low-grade fever.

She felt horrendously guilty. She had pushed him into this and had assured him of its safety, despite knowing experiments performed in uncontrolled environments—especially where potential variables remained unknown—was risky, and could lead to potentially serious problems. Things hadn't progressed to disaster yet, thankfully, but still she worried about what could still come. And more than that, she worried about herself. The lingering warmth she felt could very well be the beginnings of a fever, and the unusual sensitivity of her skin a consequence of that. She was supposed to be the control group in this experiment, yet somehow she seemed to also be suffering the same adverse effects as Link. Had she somehow accidentally dosed herself? It hadn't even occurred to her that the secretions might cling to or absorb through her skin. What would happen if they both found themselves ill?

Suddenly her eyes widened. She hadn't washed her hands after holding the frog, and had licked her fingers clean after eating the apple immediately after. That had to be it. Nayru, how could she have been so careless?

She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Regardless, if she was developing a fever, she would not be benefited by remaining in cold, wet clothing. She turned her attention to the Sheikah outfit she'd set on the counter, gazing at it with a slight frown. It was… extremely provocative. Without the leggings that usually went with it, it was nothing more than a glorified mini-dress, the likes of which she'd only ever seen worn by the working women of Castle Town's red light district the very, very few times she'd been forced to pass through it.

And yet… as she picked up the dress and rubbed the material between her fingers, she couldn't help but imagine the look on Link's face when she stepped back into the room wearing it—imagined the way his eyes might rake up her body once more, hungry and wanting. She blushed.

She was quite aware of the crush she had developed for him. Ever since he'd saved her from certain death several months back she'd begun to see him in a whole new light; she'd begun to notice things about him she'd pointedly ignored before—like how handsome he was, or how his biceps bulged against the fabric of his undershirt when he swung his sword, or the alluring ferocity of his stunning blue eyes… But it was more than mere physical attraction, it was the personality she had finally allowed herself to see. He was sweet in his own, quiet way—caring and loyal and dedicated. He never failed to notice all the little things about her—her favorite meals to eat on the road, the books she gravitated to in the library… and whenever he demonstrated that knowledge, it always seemed to make her heart flutter.

But wearing a skimpy dress just to enjoy his attentions? She was the Princess of Hyrule, for Nayru's sake! Such… inappropriate behavior was beneath her. And yet… she glanced again at the purple tunic dress, holding it up before her to take it in fully. She supposed she didn't really have any other options… She was, after all, soaking wet, and the evening chill was starting to set in. They could still look around a little more, see if they could track down a pair of pants or leggings that would fit her… Yes, that's what they'd do. If she had to show a little leg until then, so be it.

And if Link did give her a look like the one she secretly hoped he would… she blushed. Well, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

 **-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Zelda walked back towards the room feeling nervous, but doing her best to act normal. The tunic dress was form-fitting, tough not skin tight, and short—reaching down to her upper thigh, so she had reluctantly opted to keep her damp underwear on—but at least the rest of her was dry. Though her legs were bare to the cool evening air which had already begun to seep through the old stonework of the building, she was significantly warmer than she'd been in her wet clothes.

The door to the room was closed, and as she approached it she felt her nerves reignite in a heady combination of anxiety, excitement, and… dare she admit it to herself, arousal. The feeling was then immediately followed by shame. She shouldn't be excited by this, she should be embarrassed! She stopped with her fist held before the door, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. The situation was what it was, and she was largely to blame for it anyway. She just needed to be an adult about it. Opening her eyes, she knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

She opened the door to find Link gathering up something on the table, a large blanket draped around his shoulders and hanging down to his mid-thigh. He turned towards her, keeping his eyes to the ground before stopping in front of her and extending an arm, chancing only the briefest of glances up at her face. Another wool blanket hung off his arm, identical to the one around his shoulders.

"I thought you might be cold."

She reached for the blanket appreciatively, murmuring her thanks. Though she was warmer now than she had been, she still wasn't exactly comfortable. With a flourish she wrapped the blanket around herself, pulling it tightly against her chest—though for reasons unknown to her she couldn't resist pulling the blanket up higher than Link had, allowing it to expose her bare legs. Link quickly turned from her, walking back to the table as he began to sloppily fold what remained of their pilfered pile of clothing.

She suppressed a disappointed sigh. He hadn't looked down at her legs once since she walked into the room—hell, he'd barely looked at her at all. She didn't know why she felt so disappointed, she shouldn't have expected anything less of him—he was always a gentleman. She shouldn't have wanted that kind of thing in the first place.

As Link finished placing the clothes back in the closet he'd found them in, she gestured over her shoulder beyond the door. "I thought we could settle into the study for the night. There's a fire place in there, so we can hang our clothes to dry."

Link didn't say anything, merely nodded and extended his arm towards the door.

 **-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

A fire burned merrily in the hearth of the study as Zelda finished hanging her wet clothes from a makeshift clothing line she had built out of spare twine and two high-backed chairs set a few feet in front of the fireplace. Link had avoided her like the plague since they relocated to the study for the night. He'd quickly started a fire, complied easily with her instructions for setting up the makeshift clothes line, then haphazardly hung his tunic, undershirt, and pants—all while avoiding even glancing at her.

On top of that, he had clung to the wool blanket around his shoulders when she'd long since deposited hers onto the harp-backed sofa in the center of the room. With the door closed, the fire he'd built had efficiently heated the room, and she'd quickly found the thick fabric to be overly warm.

His behavior concerned her. It was out of character, for one, but his insistence on keeping himself wrapped in the heavy blanket suggested to her poor body temperature regulation, which would fit with her concern over a potential fever. Though the literature she'd read regarding the frog's effects had never mentioned such symptoms, she supposed each body was a little different.

Her task finally complete, she turned to where Link was rifling through a bookshelf, eying him critically. He hadn't said much in the past ten minutes or so, and hadn't voiced any discomforts, but he wasn't usually one to complain anyway.

"Link? If you wouldn't mind sitting on the couch, I'd like to take a look at you and make sure you're okay."

He didn't turn when he responded, speaking roughly into the book he held in his hands as he absently flipped a page.

"No need, I'm fine."

She frowned, placing her hands on her hips as she narrowed her eyes.

"I'd like to determine that for myself."

He didn't respond, and though she couldn't see his face she could see his grip on the book tighten. Something was clearly off. Why was he so adamant everything was fine? Stepping around the couch, she came up behind him, placing a hand on his shoulder and gently turning him.

"Link?"

He turned to face her without resistance, however his eyes were wide and his face was flushed. He wore no shirt under the Sheikah jacket, and the blanket around his shoulders parted in such a way as to expose his chest to her view—toned and muscular, his pale skin peppered pink with a light flush. She found herself staring, feeling a strange urge to graze her fingertips over his skin rising to startling heights within her.

Realizing the train of her thoughts, she tore her gaze from his chest, forcibly lifting her eyes to his face and feeling her cheeks heat with a blush as her heart beat faster. He met her gaze apprehensively, gulping visibly, but he did not turn from her. Forcing her mind to focus on the task at hand, she nodded towards the couch somewhat dazedly, gently pulling him toward it. He followed without complaint, his eyes never leaving hers.

He settled on the edge of the couch cushion, blanket still draped around his shoulders as she pulled a foot stool up before him, mindful of how her dress would hike up when she bent forward. Taking a seat with delicately crossed legs, she inched forward nearer to where he sat, tense and rigid. His bare chest was almost eye level, and she felt her cheeks flush as her eyes repeatedly wandered to his chest, pectorals defined in the shadowy light cast by the flickering firelight, the top of his toned abdominals just visible before the close of his jacket… no, focus! Clearing her throat, she forced her eyes to his, fighting the urge to glance back down as she extended her palm upright.

"Let's start with your vitals. Wrist, please."

Link stared at her, eyes intense, before slowly, hesitantly, pulling a hand out of his lap and offering it to her silently. She wrapped her fingers around his wrist and pulled it towards her, adjusting her forefinger to rest against his pulse. She glanced away towards the clock on the far wall, counting his heartbeat as it thrummed beneath her fingertips. One… two… three… his pulse began to increase before the clock had even reached twenty seconds, and Zelda found herself slowly closing her eyes, focusing on the sensation of his heartbeat beneath her hands, the warmth of his skin, the tensing of his tendons as he clenched his fingers into a fist… She could feel heat rising to her cheeks as she imagined him fisting her hair and bathing her whole face in warmth as her own heartbeat increased in time with his. The sound of his heavy breaths reached her ears and her eyes fluttered open, and she suddenly noticed where she had dragged his hand—just inches from her chest. She blanched, grateful his eyes were shut tight, and gently placed his hand back in his lap.

She cleared her throat, trying to organize her suddenly muddled thoughts. "I, um, couldn't seem to get a very good reading there. Would you mind if I tried the vein on your neck?" Inwardly she screamed. She had felt his pulse just fine in his wrist—what was she doing?!

At her words his eyes popped open, looking vaguely panicked as he stared at her. Despite the voice in the back of her mind screaming at her to be sensible, she did not halt her actions. Without waiting for a response, she got up from her stool and sat beside him, this time ignoring—even relishing—the way her skirt rose up the back of her thighs at the movement. Angling her body towards his, she reached a hand up to just below his jaw, placing two fingers against his skin.

He tensed, closing his eyes tightly once more and holding perfectly still. She could feel his pulse thrumming against her fingertips, fast and hard, as though he'd just come in from a jog. It sent a thrill through her. His skin beneath her fingers was warm, and she could feel heat radiating off of him in waves. Yet despite these worrying signs, she couldn't pull her mind from the feel of his skin under her hand, and her increasingly urgent desire to feel more of it. Forgetting her original purpose, she splayed her fingers against his neck, relishing in his warmth and the thrum of his pulse.

At her movement his head turned sharply towards hers, his eyes gazing at her with laser-like intensity. She felt suddenly breathless, pinned beneath his gaze as though his hands held her in place rather than his eyes. One of his hands left his lap, finding purchase on her bare knee.

Though she knew, in some corner of the back of her mind, that this was extremely inappropriate behavior, she couldn't bring herself to care. A strange haze had descended over her mind, relaxing her, sending her cares and worries far, far away. Instead of chastising him for his touch, a shiver ran through her, her skin tingling beneath his hand with anticipation.

Her fingers wrapped more firmly around his neck and she felt his hand begin to slide slowly, teasingly, up her leg, causing her breath to hitch in her throat. His eyes on her were intense, penetrating… burning. She felt her heart beat heavily against her ribcage as his gaze traveled slowly south, lingering on her chest before settling between her legs, to where her short skirt just barely covered her womanhood. His hand had reached the hem of her dress and he stopped, returning his gaze to hers.

She hadn't moved. A wave of emotions were washing over her, the foremost thought in her mind an intense desire for him to keep going, for his hand to travel all the way up, to part her underwear and do the things she would do late at night, in the privacy of her bedroom under her sheets.

Her eyes fluttered shut as her mind pictured it—him sliding his fingers higher, teasing, sending heat to her core and waves of pleasure crashing through her body. She felt a shifting on the couch cushion and her eyes fluttered back open, meeting his gaze. Link had moved closer, his face hovering just before hers, breathing heavy. His hand had not moved, despite her aching desire for it to do so. His eyes were half lidded as he gazed at her—into her, voice hoarse as he spoke a single word.

"Zelda…"

She couldn't take it. Leaning into him she captured his lips, lifting her free hand to slide into his jacket and stroke the hard muscle of his chest that she'd been so greedily eying. With a guttural groan he met her kiss, pushing her forcefully down against the couch and sliding his hand up her hip as he did so, pulling her dress up with it. With demanding insistence he pushed his tongue hard against her lips. Heart thundering, she opened her mouth to him tentatively and he took quick advantage, sliding his tongue against her own and exploring every inch of her mouth. She felt… exhilarated. She'd never kissed anyone before, let alone like this… she didn't know one could kiss this way, but it was… thrilling.

He settled quickly with a leg on either side of her, using one hand to place both her wrists above her head and using the other to untie the sash at her waist, allowing the Sheikah jacket to fall open. His hand was back on her thigh, continuing its tortuous journey upward. She squirmed, eager for the contact, pulling her lips from his long enough to breathlessly whisper against his lips, "Link, please…"

Then, suddenly, his warmth was gone—her wrists freed of his hands and his weight absent atop her. She blinked up at the ceiling, confusion washing over her along with a wave of cool air. Sitting slowly upright, she found Link standing several feet away from the couch pressed against the table, breathing hard and staring at her with wide-eyes, the hunger in them ever-present.

Seeing his shock, everything that had just happened washed over her and she pulled her hand against her mouth as a gasp escaped her. A violent blush rose to her cheeks as she stared at him with wide-eyes, attempting to process what had just happened.

Unbidden, the memory of his eager hand sliding up her thigh passed through her mind and she let out a breath, briefly shutting her eyes. What HAD just happened? She had a crush on him, sure, and maybe—maybe—she'd fantasized about him once or twice… but what in the Goddess' name had possessed her to do what she had just done? It was like she was under some sort of spell or mystery sex drug…

Mystery sex drug. Holy mother of Din—the frog!

And Link… He had gotten a much, much larger dose. She glanced to her knight, eying him up and down, noting his flushed skin and trembling figure, her eyes immediately catching on something the blanket draped around his shoulders had hidden until now. If possible, her blush darkened by several shades. A large bulge shone prominently against his hip, outlined starkly by the tight Sheikah fabric. That must have been why he had clung so desperately to the damned thing even when the room had warmed from the fire. Did that mean he had already figured it out? That the frog…

She stood shakily from the couch, self-consciously pulling her dress down from where it had ridden up and pulling the jacket closed around her, leaving the sash abandoned on the floor. Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke.

"I've been feeling… strange, ever since we arrived here. I thought maybe it was just… being stuck in wet clothes for so long. But then you…" her eyes darted back down to the bulge once more. Gods, it was big… then quickly, guiltily, she returned her gaze back to his face.

"I thought the frog had made you sick—that maybe I'd gotten sick too, but… its not that…"

A dark blush covered his cheeks, but he did not turn from her. Mutely, he shook his head. She gulped.

"It's… an aphrodisiac of some sort, isn't it?"

He nodded, taking a small step backwards. She let out a breath. It all made sense. 'Increased stamina and strength… Increased blood flow and cardiovascular capacity…' how had she missed this?! It had all been right there, she just hadn't put the pieces together.

But… what now? They had both been dosed with a little known and less understood aphrodisiac, out in the wild in an uncontrolled field study, and it had already begun to take effect in both of them. She could feel the urges of her body growing… the fire of arousal his kiss had stoked would not be easily put out. If she allowed herself to think on it for too long, she felt she could get lost in the memory of his lips on hers… his hands roaming her body, his weight atop her… Goddesses, she felt _wanton._

Though she knew how she should behave—how she was expected to behave, the longer she stood there, body shivering with the memory of his touch, she just… couldn't bring herself to care.

Suddenly she opened her eyes, realizing her hand had been traveling up her stomach towards her beast as her thoughts roamed. Glancing to Link, she caught him gazing at her hand intently, hungrily—and quickly lowered it to her side. Add loss of control to that list, as well.

It was already dark, and she felt in no fit shape to travel. Every time she looked at him all she could think of were the feelings his hands and his lips had engendered within her, and a craving the likes of which she'd never felt rose within her, making her heart pound in her chest. One look at Link suggested he was hardly faring better. Taking a deep breath she shut her eyes, forcing her mind clear. Gods, what were they to do?

* * *

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	4. Chapter 4: Surrender

**THE DANGER OF UNCONTROLLED FIELD STUDIES**  
 **Chapter 4: Surrender**

* * *

Link stared at her hard from across the room. Just hearing the word 'aphrodisiac' fall from her luscious lips made him want to possess her mouth all over again. He shut his eyes at the memory of her body warm and pliant beneath his own, struggling to keep himself from running back to her.

Goddesses, he'd never felt anything like this. His manhood throbbed painfully and his skin was burning, tingling with sensitivity—and every place the loose Sheikah jacket rubbed against him only added to his already unbearable level of arousal.

Most concerning of all, though, was his steadily lessening resolve to refrain from acting on these urges. What was the harm? She wanted it too… Her breathy voice whispering his name, pleading, filled his thoughts, making his head spin.

NO. Wrenching his eyes open to stare at the cold stone floor, he tightened his grip on the table edge. She was the Goddess-damned _Princess of Hyrule_. He was tasked with protecting her, even from himself. This was wrong—so wrong. It was all the drug talking, nothing more. This mutual desire between them was entirely false—merely chemically induced.

But… was it really? A voice in the back of his mind whispered to the contrary, made him doubt his own assessment. How many times in recent months had she leaned in excitedly to share some new discovery with him, and he'd gotten lost in her eyes and felt the nearly irresistible pull to lean in and capture her sweet, pink lips? How many times had he lain awake at night after a long day in court and dreamed of peeling her out of her intricate gown to the sounds of her pleading as he stroked himself to his completion? He had to face it: whatever attraction, whatever desire he was feeling now—however heightened, did not come from nowhere.

But… was there any substance to the attraction she was displaying towards him now? For her, was it all just the damned frog—or was it more?

He didn't know what to do. The more time passed the less he trusted himself to be around her. He just… didn't want to fight it any longer—wasn't sure he could. Sure he could maybe find another room in which to ease some of his suffering on his own, but… he wanted HER. He wanted her hands, her lips, her beautiful body to quench this insatiable thirst. Especially now that he'd had a taste, the prospect of anything less just felt… insignificant—insufficient, by comparison.

He risked a glance up at her to see her staring at him with just as much intensity as he had her, moments ago. Her eyes burned into his, though her gaze seemed faraway as her hand traveled slowly up her thigh, up her hip and towards her breast. Dear _Gods_ … He couldn't suppress a groan, shutting his eyes to ward off the image. Unfortunately it only replayed itself endlessly against the backs of his eyelids.

"Link?"

Her voice was barely a whisper, breathy with obvious arousal. Taking a deep, steadying breath, he opened his eyes to meet hers. She seemed to have regained herself somewhat, confusion and concern dominating her eyes where desire had only moments ago.

"I… it's getting worse. I don't—I don't know what to do…"

She shut her eyes briefly as a tremor passed through her and Link felt his heart go out to her, all too familiar with the feeling by now.

 _'You could ease her suffering…'_ said a traitorous voice in his head, _'You could ease both your suffering…'_ Link gulped, trailing a shaking hand down his face. Oh how he wanted to… Goddesses she was right, it was getting worse.

She opened her eyes, a flush and fresh determination coloring her features as she took a tentative step forward.

"I… I know I shouldn't ask this of you, and I'm not entirely sure we won't both regret it later, but… I can't…" she took a rattling breath, and another step closer. "I can barely think straight, I just keep remembering…" She brought one hand to her mouth, her fingers grazing her lips as her eyes fluttered shut.

Link's heart stuttered in his chest and he felt the air leave his lungs. She couldn't possibly… No, she couldn't be thinking… could she? His fingers dug into the wood of the table behind him as salacious images flashed through his mind.

"Princess…" his voice was strained, and he forced himself to use her title, despite the desire to purr her name. "Please don't ask that of me. I… I never should have… I can't…" he took a rattling breath, pulling desperately on the last threads of self-control which remained to utter a final warning. "I'm not sure how much control I have left," he whispered.

His breathing was becoming labored with the effort of keeping himself restrained. He needed to get away from her, to find a nice quiet corner like he'd thought earlier and… relieve himself of his urges—however long that took. His eyes darted to the closed door, and as he prepared to make a break from the room, her quiet, almost timid voice pierced his focused determination.

"I… even now, under these circumstances… Am I so repulsive to you?"

His eyes tore from the door and he stared at her wide-eyed. She couldn't really think… Did she truly not know? She was so beautiful, so… alluring, enticing… She was irresistible in that damned short Sheikah dress, all long legs and milky skin, tousled hair and perfect pink lips…

As soon as his mind began to travel down that path he felt his earlier resolve to put space between them evaporate. His feet moved towards her of their own accord, and in but a moment he found himself standing before her with only the barest hint of restraint, eyes gazing down hungrily at her vulnerable, wanton eyes.

He couldn't fight this anymore—he'd tried. His whole body was on fire, aching with the need for release. Consequences and circumstances be damned, he wanted her and her alone—and he wanted her _so badly_. Her sea-green irises sparkled in the flickering firelight, vulnerable but hopeful, begging him for…

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips before she bit the soft flesh of her lower lip, never breaking his gaze. It was then that he felt the last of his control snap.

His hand reached out, fisting her hair and pulling her face inches from his. She let out a small gasp, but didn't fight his grip—rather, she seemed to melt into him.

"Far, far from it," he rasped, before lowering his lips to hers and claiming her once more.

 **-:-:-:-:-:-:-**

Now, finally—two glorious hours later—the soothing balm of orgasm had calmed the burning desire he'd been plagued with. He wasn't entirely sure how long it would last, but for now, at least, he felt sated—basking in the afterglow; more relaxed, more carefree, and more exhausted than he had felt in a while.

He kissed her, deep and slow, before pulling away, smiling.

"One second," he murmured, carefully turning their tangled bodies until she was lying on her side. He reaching up from the floor onto the couch for the blanket he'd discarded earlier and a throw pillow. Grabbing each in hand, he rolled himself back beside her, setting the pillow behind his head and draping the blanket over their nude forms. He put his arm around her, pulling her towards him and she eagerly burrowed into his side, resting her head on his shoulder.

She looked up at him, eyes half lidded now, not out of desire, but out of exhaustion, and smiled drowsily. He could feel sleep pulling insistently at him, but forced his head up to place a lingering kiss atop her forehead before returning to the soft embrace of the pillow. She hummed contentedly, throwing an arm over his chest as her legs tangled with his.

The room was silent save for their breathing. The fire was a mere pile of burning red embers, its occasional popping and snapping the only other sound to fill the room. Link closed his eyes, feeling his tired body melt into the carpet. With a final deep breath, he allowed himself to succumb to a blissful, peaceful sleep.

* * *

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	5. Chapter 5: Consequences

**THE DANGER OF UNCONTROLLED FIELD STUDIES**  
 **Chapter 5: Consequences**

* * *

She came to slowly. The fire was little more than glowing ash. The wool blanket itched against her skin, but its heavy warmth was comforting against the cooling air. There was an intense ache between her legs, though it wasn't painful, and her thighs were sticky and wet. Link's arm was wrapped loosely around her, and she could feel his chest rise and fall beneath her hand. It all felt… so peaceful…

Suddenly her eyes popped open, and the events of the afternoon and evening came flooding back. Heart pounding but frozen in place, she cautiously turned her head up towards Link's; thank the Goddess, he was still asleep. She let out a small breath of relief, carefully extricating herself from his arms and from beneath the blanket.

Her nudity, earlier in the evening offering a sense of exultant freedom, now left her feeling vulnerable and overexposed. She quickly crossed the room, ignoring the slight chill of the air against her skin, and grabbed her own carefully folded blanket from atop one of the tables. Shaking it out, she wrapped it around herself and quietly pulled out one of the chairs, sitting slowly onto the cushioned velvet.

She could feel the aching between her legs more acutely sitting down, and the sticky evidence of their sordid activities clung to the wool, but she paid it little heed; her mind was whirling with far too many other, more pressing, concerns.

Nayru… what had she done? She was the Goddess-forsaken Princess of Hyrule! If anyone found out… she would be disgraced, and Link would more than likely land a life sentence in prison—perhaps after he helped her seal the Calamity, but still…

She glanced nervously back to where Link lay, still sleeping, on the rug before the hearth. Her mind immediately flashed back to only hours ago, with him beneath her, his chest heaving under her hands as she bore down on him, relishing the way he gasped and panted as he clutched desperately at her hips… She quickly looked away, blushing profusely and feeling her heart beat faster at the vivid memory.

Though logic told her it had been wrong, in her heart it had felt so _right_ … They had fit together like puzzle pieces, completely in tune with one another as though they had done this hundreds of times before. He had been both rough and gentle, treating her with a sort of tender affection, but not hesitating to drive them both headlong into oblivion. It had been… she blushed again. It had been mind-blowing.

But… how much of those feelings were her own—were genuine—and how much was the frog? Before all this, she would have chalked up her nervousness and fluttering heart to a mere girlish crush. But now, after they had… now she wasn't so sure. Being with him had been… it had felt like more than just a physical act. She felt as though they had connected, on some deeper level. But… could those feelings be merely the remnants of the drug?

 _Her_ feelings notwithstanding, there were also Link's to consider. Aside from a fair degree of confidence in their friendly camaraderie, she had no idea how Link actually felt about her—at least in that way. Part of her wanted to believe that perhaps he felt some of what she had, too. He had been so… she didn't know what, but it hadn't felt disinterested or, in some way, removed.

He had always treated her respectfully, but other than the events of today and the vague impressions she'd picked up from him over the time she'd known him, she had nothing more to go on; and a fearful, growing part of her worried that this had been nothing more than a way to relieve the sexual tension caused by her foolhardy experiment.

She had asked him, for Goddesses sake, to do this. She may not have been quite in her right mind, but she had still put forth the request. With the way they'd both been sitting on the edge of insanity, how could she possibly think he'd have done anything other than agree? Perhaps there was nothing more to it than that? She honestly had no reason to believe it was anything more than that; and it would certainly simplify things.

So… why did the prospect of that leave her feeling so hollow?

The aching between her legs was worsening so she made to stand, feeling the sticky residues that had clung to the wool slide across her thighs. Inwardly she sighed. She would need to clean that up, it was starting to get uncomfor…

She stilled, her eyes widening as horrifying realization hit her. She leaned forward heavily over the table to better support her suddenly weak knees.

They hadn't used protection. Gods, they _hadn't used protection_!

Zelda felt her breath become rapid and shallow as dozens of panicked thoughts flooded her mind. What if she became pregnant? The scandal that would cause! She would be completely and utterly disgraced! And Link… oh, Goddesses, what would happen to Link? Pregnancy—children! She wasn't ready to be a mother! And what of the Calamity? What if it came while she was with child? Could she still battle the beast? What if it came later—what if it killed her child?

She was having trouble breathing and she clutched at her chest, desperately inhaling air through a too-tight throat. She needed to calm down. She was the Princess of Hyrule, she'd been educated by the Kindom's most renowned scholars. She could work through this, she just had to calm down and think.

Closing her eyes, she made herself to take slow, deep breaths, forcing the rising tide of anxiety to the side. Her breathing began to slowly even out, and once she felt a little more under control, she allowed herself to open her eyes.

Okay, think. They hadn't used protection. Was there anything she could do to negate the likelihood or possibility of pregnancy? Anything she had learned over the years… As she glanced around the room, at the bookshelves lining the walls, it suddenly hit her. She was in a fully stocked and equipped scientific laboratory; she could make a morning-after elixir! She didn't have any first-hand experience with it, sure—she'd mostly overheard young maids and newly conscripted soldiers talk about it after weekend benders down in Castle Town—and she didn't know the formula, but such information would undoubtedly be stored here; it was one of but a few centers housing the wealth of advanced scientific and medical knowledge in Hyrule.

She clung desperately to the sliver of hope her half-formed plan offered as she headed for the nearest bookcase, struggling to still the residual trembling of her limbs. If this didn't work… well, she'd focus on that once she got there. It didn't do to dwell on it.

Approaching the nearest bookshelf, she slowly began to skim the titles embossed on the spines of the thick leather volumes.

 _A Condensed History of the Ancient Sheikah Technologies_? No.  
 _Encyclopedia of Mechanical Engineering_? No.  
 _A Compendium of Research and Study on the Ancient Guardians_? An appealing title, but also no.

Her eyes continued to scan along the spines, book after book, feeling a little more frustrated the farther down the shelves she went. This whole bookcase seemed to house nothing but material on engineering and Sheikah technology. Perhaps each set of shelves held a different category? Turning, she stepped before the bookcase to her immediate left, and began to scan the titles.

This shelf seemed more promising.

 _A Compendium of Medicinal Plants in Hyrule_? She pulled the book from the shelf and flipped through it. Every plant in Hyrule had an entry, and though several plants listed pregnancy prevention as an effect, no elixir formulas were provided. Not quite what she was looking for, but it may prove useful. With a careful toss she threw it onto the nearby table and continued looking.

 _A Treatise on Hylian Anatomy_? No.  
 _Mysteries of the Zora Life Cycle_? No.  
 _Hylian Biology_? Hmm…

She pulled the thick volume from the shelf and leafed through it. There were diagrams and long passages detailing metabolic cycles and cell growth and decay, and a small passage on Hylian pregnancy, but nothing immediately jumped out at her as being pertinent to her needs. Still, it may prove useful. She tossed it onto the table as well.

She scanned through several more titles until another caught her eye.  
 _Hylian Conception, Pregnancy, and Infertility_?

She pulled the book from the shelf and popped it open. There were… extremely descriptive, albeit clinical, explanations of the process of conception and the necessary biological functions to achieve it, as well as a stage-by-stage guide to fetal development. Flipping to the end of the book, her heart soared as she read the chapter title, _'Pregnancy Prevention and Family Planning'_ , however her excitement quickly dwindled as she read through the following passages, finding it to be more of a social commentary on the subject. Her brow furrowed in frustration. Still, it could perhaps prove useful. She tossed the book onto the table, though with a bit more force than was strictly necessary.

She returned to her browsing, her eyes working slowly down the shelf, feeling more and more anxious the more irrelevant titles she passed. She'd already been searching for a good ten minutes. What if she couldn't find what she was looking for?

Her earlier panic was beginning to slowly return, and as she flipped through yet another unhelpful volume, her frustration and anxiety got the better of her and she threw the book across the room, where it hit a chair and landed on the floor with a thud.

She shut her eyes, feeling hyperventilation threatening to grip her in its clutches. _Breathe… stay calm, you can do this, breathe…_ Yet even as she reassured herself she could feel moisture pooling at the close of her eyelids, then a single tear fall down her cheek. Goddesses, what was she going to _do_?

"Zelda?"

Her eyes shot open, glancing towards the source of the voice only to find Link sitting up off the floor, eyes a bit bleary with the wool blanket pooling around his waist.

Her panic set back in. In her worry and frustration she'd somehow forgotten he was even there. She didn't know what to say to him… where did she even start? Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly, her brain scrambled by anxiety as she stared at him dumbly.

Getting no response, he worriedly rose from the floor, allowing the blanket to fall to the ground. Her eyes immediately fell to his crotch, to the sticky evidence of their… activities. The sight snapped her out of her stupor. She blushed fiercely, nervously looked away.

"Link! You can't—what are you… cover yourself!" she could barely get her mouth to work right, so she hurried to the nearest couch and grabbed a throw pillow, tossing it at him before retreating to her bookshelf. He grabbed it out of the air with ease—it had been thrown a good six inches to his left in her frenzy—then stared at her, at the pillow, then back to her as though she had grown an extra head.

"Link!" she screeched, her blush darkening.

Baffled, he lowered the pillow to cover himself, gaping at her. Slowly, as though she were a skittish deer, he approached her.

"Zelda, what—?" He seemed unable to finish his question, and she refused to look at him, pulling her blanket tighter around her nude body. She was flustered both by his nakedness and his nearness, images of their time together flashing unbidden through her mind every time she caught a glimpse of his toned chest or his strong arms…

She struggled to keep her breathing even and took a nervous step back, bumping against the bookshelf she'd been rifling through. Link halted a foot in front of her, though continued to stare at her with a furrowed brow; but she said nothing. She didn't know what to say. Her mind was in a state of chaos, and her body traitorously warmed to his presence.

"What's wrong? What's going on?" He didn't try to approach her, but when she didn't answer he glanced around the room, seemingly trying to make sense of her strange behavior. His eyes caught sight of the books she had set aside on the table and he approached the stack, glancing at the titles. Suddenly his face paled, and his gaze darted quickly back to hers, eyes wide.

"We… we didn't…" he stuttered, and though he didn't say the words she knew what he meant to convey—and having him voice it out loud, however incomplete, sent her precarious calm tumbling back into panic.

She fell back against the bookshelf as her breathing became labored, quickly transforming into breathless rasps. Despair was taking hold of her, and the sliver of hope she'd felt earlier was nowhere in sight. Shit! She was so, completely, totally screwed! She was gasping now, dimly aware that Link had come around the table to hold her up.

"Zelda! Breathe, it'll be alright, just breath!" She attempted to follow his advice, but to limited success. He turned her to face him, gripping her should as his other hand still held the embroidered pillow over his crotch. Somehow the ridiculous image managed to pierce the fog of blind panic, and her gasping breaths turned into gasping laughs, which quickly turned almost hysterical as the insanity of their situation finally dawned on her.

Link was more confused than ever, staring at her as tough she'd grown two extra heads.

"I'm sorry—" she gasped, "—I… the _pillow_!"

He glanced down to his crotch then back to her, brows still furrowed in confusion. "But you threw it at me, you said…"

She practically screeched with laughter. "I—I know…" she choked out, "I know…!"

Link looked deeply concerned as he observed her quivering form. She was calming from her outburst, and with careful movements he lifted her fully upright, pulling her away from the bookcase and lowering her into a nearby chair. She obeyed without complaint, feeling the weight of the situation once more press upon her as her humor faded away.

"I'll be right back." Link murmured, turning from her and heading to the carpet to retrieve the other blanket. He wrapped it around himself as she had hers, tossing the pillow to the floor beside the other. He then returned, pulling out the chair beside hers and sitting.

She sighed heavily, feeling awkwardness settle back over her making it difficult to look at him. She knew a conversation was coming, but she didn't feel ready for it. His voice was quiet when he spoke.

"So what do we do?"

She lifted her head, surprised by his easy engagement in the subject and his use of the word 'we'.

"Well… There isn't really anything for you to do. You're not the one at risk of a scandal. I was looking for the formula to make a morning-after elixir, everything I'd need is probably here in the lab, but I haven't yet found—"

He cut her off, gazing at her dumbfounded and with more than a little hurt.

"I'm not going to just have sex with you then throw you to the wolves. What kind of person do you think me to be?"

Despite everything, she blushed at his frank statement; and for some reason, though she knew he hadn't intended to be cruel, she felt hurt by his words. She didn't know what she'd expected—or even wanted—him to say, but whatever it was, it wasn't that. She turned from his face, pulling her blanket tighter around her shoulders as she spoke with forced calm.

"I don't mean to insult your honor Link; but I won't force you to be dragged through the mud with me when I was the one who started all of this. You needn't feel obligated to fix a problem I caused."

Once more he stared at her in confusion. "Force me? Zelda, I had just as much a hand in this, and I—"

She stood abruptly, turning and walking a few steps away. She felt foolish for it, but his words only made the hurt within her sting more fiercely. As a result, her response was somewhat more biting than she'd intended it to be.

"Look, Link, I get it. Really. You feel obligated to clean up after my mistake, and that's very noble of you, but please don't force yourself to do things you don't want for the sake of your honor." She spat the word _'honor'_ , feeling a tightness in her throat as she did so. "I'll be fine. I just need to find the formula for the elixir, and if I can't, then I… I'll just…" she trailed off, not really sure what she would do if she wasn't able to concoct the elixir. However she didn't have long to think on how to finish her sentence, as with quick, angry strides Link came to stand before her, lifting her face to force her to look at him.

"This isn't YOUR mistake." His eyes were hard, face set in a frown. "I didn't even think it was a mistake, but clearly I misread you since you seem pretty set on viewing it that way." He stared hard at her a moment longer before his expression softened, and he lifted a hand to her arm, rubbing his thumb gently over her shoulder. The feel of his hand, even through the blanket, drew forth memories of hours earlier, of his hands gliding across her trembling body.

"I…" he hesitated, then sighed, continuing slowly, softly. "Had I been with anyone else, and they had asked me what you asked me, I would have just turned and walked away, and had a really, really frustrating evening." He offered her a brief, self-deprecating smile.

"But it wasn't anyone else, it was you who asked me, and because it was you, I… couldn't help myself." He looked sheepish, turning away for a moment and releasing a breath before reluctantly returning his gaze to hers.

She was unable to look away. Her heart was galloping in her chest and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Had she… had she misunderstood the situation? The Gods knew she wasn't very skilled at picking up social cues.

After a moment more he continued, almost sorrowfully.

"I don't regret what happened. I wanted it, and I thought maybe you did too, but… if you want to ignore it and pretend it never happened I can do that. I just hope, at least, you don't feel… taken advantage of."

He paused, holding her gaze questioningly; but her mind had devolved into chaos, attempting to reconcile his words with her prior interpretation of the situation. If was being truthful, if he really did feel that way… she didn't want to ignore it—didn't want to forget it; but all she could manage by way of answer was the tiniest of motions, a small shake of her head, to indicate that she hadn't felt taken advantage of—far from it in fact. At her answer he smiled softly, relief in his eyes, then continued with a confidence that hadn't been there only a moment ago.

"But I won't let you suffer the consequences of this on your own; and not because I feel obligated, but because I… care about you."

His voice trailed off and he looked distinctly embarrassed, and though he kept his eyes fixed on hers, she could see the faintest of blushes rising to his cheeks.

A foreign emotion bubbled up within her as his words sunk in. She scarcely dared to believe it—to hope. She gazed deeply into his eyes, searching for any sign of falseness or deception, but found none. Something suspiciously like joy began to fill her heart, and she smiled tremulously into his anxious gaze. Gripping her blanket tighter in her hands, she prepared to take a leap.

"I… care about you, too," she whispered.

He simply stared at her before, slowly, a smile began to lift the corners of his mouth.

"And… I don't regret what happened, either."

His smile broke out into a grin and he gazed at her, beaming. It was far from a love confession, but they were things she felt very sure of, things she wanted him to know she reciprocated. Without warning, he suddenly wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her to him, capturing her mouth with his. Despite her surprise, she felt her body melting against his, her hands forgetting their task of holding up her blanket as she shifted to wrap her arms around his neck. His kiss deepened, and he backed her up slowly until she felt her shoulders hit the bookshelf. His tongue ran along her lower lip teasingly, sucking and biting gently at the soft flesh.

"I don't think the frog is completely out of my system," Hh murmured against her lips, kissing the corners of her mouth before delving into her mouth with his tongue. She could feel his erection pressing against her hip, and the knowledge sent a thrill through her.

Judging by the receptiveness of her own body to his advances, she suspected the same was true for her; however, she felt clear-headed enough to maintain her priorities.

"Me neither. But…" she let out a sigh as his lips trailed slowly down her jaw, "Elixir first."

He mumbled affirmatively against her pulse point, leaving a last, lingering kiss before pulling back. He moved his hand to her cheek, cradling her face as he smiled. The look he gave her made her heart melt.

"So where do we start?"

 **-:-:-:-:-:-**

Two hours later the two of them lay once more upon the rug beneath the warmth of their woolen blanket, this time cushioned by the entire collection of blankets and towels the linen cabinet had to offer. Link had rekindled the fire, its warmth appreciated though its light was somewhat less necessary as the pale blue light of sunrise began to filter in through the far windows.

They'd managed to find the right book not long after they resumed the search. Link had found it in a shelf near the door— _The Hyrule Compendium of Known Elixirs_ , and after locating the formula under a section on reproductive health, she had immediately set to work. It had been a relief to learn that the elixir was capable of averting pregnancy within up to five days of unprotected intercourse, but even still it had been a welcome comfort to down the foul-tasting brew and known such a consideration was no longer a concern.

And then, of course, Link had jumped her. Not that she minded.

Which brought them to their current state—lounging peacefully in post-coital bliss, legs tangled and bodies covered in a thin sheen of sweat.

After five orgasms, a variety of activities, and numerous positions, the scholar in her had grown intensely curious as to all the different ways two people could please each other. Link seemed to know quite a bit—a consequence of extremely awkward drunken dissertations provided by the the older soldiers in the barracks, Link had informed her when she'd inquired. But her own knowledge was limited to the requirements of impregnation—such were the outer limits of her sexual education. But simply following the pleasures of her body had proved so far to be a good guide, and she found herself rather eager to learn more.

She crawled slowly over Link, pressing her body against his chest as she gazed into his droopy eyes with a playful expression.

"So… what other exciting secrets have the soldiers imparted upon you?" she queried, tracing her fingers over the rise of his collarbones. He smiled at her, lips quirked with a hint of a smirk.

"Ready again already?" He murmured with amusement, lifting his hand under the blanket to glide slowly up her back. She shivered at the touch, scooting herself forward to capture his lips beneath hers. The kiss was tender, unhurried, filled with a certain passion neither yet had the courage to fully voice. Link lifted a hand to her cheek, brushing his thumb against her skin, and she sighed softly into his mouth. This was heaven.

"Snapity Snap! What's going on here?!"

Zelda jerked away, practically rolling off Link and onto the floor with a thump, clutching desperately at the blanket to ensure it fully covered her nude form. Her heart pounded furiously as she whipped her head towards the source of the voice, only to find Purah standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips and a frown on her face. She hadn't even heard it open.

Link practically choked beside her, scrambling to separate himself from her, as far as the blanket's coverage would reach. He spoke quickly, spluttering his words.

"It's not what you think—!"

She scoffed, folding her arms over her chest. "Suuure it's not. Do you think I was born yesterday? You know, I warned the King this might happen. You force two teenagers together all the time like this, right as their sexual maturity begins to peak, and you're just asking for trouble."

Zelda blushed furiously, heart thundering and mouth agape at the Sheikah's bald statement; Link equally seemed ready to have a heart attack where he lay beside her. At their stricken expressions, Purah sighed, letting her arms fall to her sides.

"Look, you're both young and virile—I won't fault you for it." Zelda wheezed at the word _'virile',_ and Link turned a darker shade of crimson than she knew existed, but Purah continued undaunted.

"And I won't tell anyone either—your sexual choices are your business and nobody else's. But as a scientist I will not stand for uninformed, unsafe sex! I've got a bottle of morning-after elixir in my office." She eyed Zelda pointedly, "I expect you to use it. And I expect both of you to come and see me as soon as you return to the castle for a comprehensive lesson on Hylian sexuality—and several batches of contraceptive elixir, too. Am I understood?"

Hoping desperately the ground would open up and swallow her whole, Zelda forced herself to nod. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Link do likewise.

Purah seemed satisfied by their easy acquiescence and continued brightly, as though they weren't both nude, covered only by a blanket. "Good. Now I'm heading back to the castle—but you two might want to get dressed and high tail it out of here; a group of researchers should be by in a few hours to pick up supplies, and I'd recommend you be gone by then."

Without further word, she turned on her heel and disappeared down the hall. Neither she nor Link dared to move until the unmistakable snap of the exterior door echoed down the hallway. Slowly, stiffly, she turned to Link, only just feeling her heart begin to slow. Her blush was nowhere near fading as she took in his stricken expression. He stared wide-eyed at the doorway, his face still that funny dark crimson as he gripped the blanket so hard his knuckles turned white.

Suddenly everything—the frog, the sex, her panic over possible pregnancy, the revelation that there had been a solution down the hall all along, Purah's mortifying words and Link's horrified expression—the whole ridiculous scenario washed over her, and she burst out laughing, cackling so hard she could barely breath. Link turned to look at her in disbelief, eyes still wide as saucers, before, slowly, he began to chuckle as well.

He scooted back over to her, wrapping his arm around her as they fell to the ground in a fit of unrestrained laughter. She nuzzled into his neck as her laughter slowly diminished into breathy chuckles, his reassuring warmth easing the sting of her embarrassment. Boy was this a lesson on the danger of uncontrolled field studies.

Gods—What a _day_ …

* * *

 **A/N:** Ah, there it is! Putting a whole new twist on the name _"hot footed frog"_ , eh? lol. Often in real life when you lick certain frogs, you either wind up hospitalized from crazy-balls poison or have one hell of a trip. That was sort of the inspiration for this fic, imagining the frog's effects as a faintly psychedelic aphrodisiac.

This actually turned out a good deal longer than I'd originally anticipated. It was outlined to be only three chapters at probably around 8,000 words and turned into 6 at 18,000. As with most of my projects, it rather grew, but I like how it came out. There are a few spots I'm not entirely pleased with, but I decided to just stop fretting over it. It's good practice.

So let me know what you think! Whether you pop over to read the full version or not, I'd love to know your thoughts. Hope you all enjoyed this little unexpected surprise. Peace out, and I'll see you in April or May!

^o^


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